hyprsleepy's Reviews

Joker (I) (2019)

A work of art and I do not say that lightly

13 October 2019

The acting, the music, the cinematography, the themes - I could gush for hours about the sheer amount of breath taking QUALITY in this film. If you like good cinema you will like this.

"Joker" stands as one of the most left wing films I have ever seen that persuasively validates left wing theory, which is funny because they are the ones attacking it without having seen it! Cancel culture is stupid isn't it?

I felt the crushing weight and pressure of a cold society that did not care about the working class and that favored the elite. I saw a lonely human being kicked until he decided enough was enough and that resistance was not only the best way, but the only way forward.

I never felt more revved up to "fight the power" and give the middle finger to a corrupt system than after seeing the Joker!

The movie doesn't glorify shootings or vigilante justice so much as it makes it clear that if you take away options for people and treat them like they don't matter and don't exist then rebellion and riots WILL HAPPEN. It isn't so much a threat as an inevitability. People need to feel like the game isn't rigged against them to want to play.

The way to fix society is to reach out to others more, to be more kind, and to fix the broken corrupt system that lacks humanity and only cares about money.

The Joker is a hero for those who society deems garbage and worthless. In the movie there is a protester holding a sign that symbolizes modern-day society and it's connection to this movie perfectly: We are all clowns.

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Childhood's End (2015)

Thought provoking mini-series from a book that deserved to see the screen

5 January 2016

This mini-series by the SyFy channel is from the book Childhood's End by Author C. Clarke. I have never read the book and I think that's why I liked the show so much. I LOVED it. (Most of the negative reviews are from those who read the book.)

Once I heard of the changes I realized why they occurred. They had Ricky be a humble farmer instead of a big shot diplomat because it would make him seem more like a Jesus like character. The emotional mining and discovery that Ricky did about himself and his feelings over his ex were incredibly intense and well done and not delved into in the book. Presumably this was because Clarke wasn't very good with the ladies and didn't care much for romance nor feelings and was more of a technical details kind of guy. The reasons why the children evolved in the book are stupid and make no sense. I know I might catch some flak for that but I'm sorry fanboys. What we know about evolution and diet and adaptation just come together to disprove his theory. I'm glad the show writers didn't go with what was in the book because it would have made everything laughable.

Right before I watched this I was talking to my friends about the validity of communism. Questions arose as to what would be the purpose of life without a way to feel progress? If you are always in one class and there's no going up or down forever, how would that make people feel? If they didn't have to work, would they? Would people go crazy? How would this affect our creativity in terms of art or science? Pain and suffering are necessary parts of the puzzle when driving creativity and efficiency and growth. If you're happy and content why change anything?

These questions are all discussed in the show and more.

I freaking loved Charles Dance as Karellen. He was amazing and always is. The effects for him were mostly make-up and not special effects which I found impressive and made his facial expressions much more realistic looking and expressive.

This goes in my Top 10 of the Best Science Fiction shows/movies I've ever seen. You need to see this. Caution: It is depressing and the scene at the end with the song made my heart want to break into a million pieces while I silently cried inside, but it is so good.

One of my favorite scenes was where the head of the Freedom League scoffs and accuses the aliens of pretending they want to "Buy the World a Coke". I think of that now every time I see a Coke ad.

The use of a Twitter campaign and TV ads that comically resemble political smear campaigns were hilarious and awesome. If you like dark humor and have sado-masochistic tenancies in your TV viewing then you need to check this out!

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The Call (II) (2013)

Loved it - intense and interesting

18 March 2013

The Call kept my interest and had everyone wanting to scream at the screen and tell the characters what to do and urge them along. The characters would alternate between overcoming their emotions and rising to the challenge and falling prey to them at just the wrong moment. There was a constant sense of tension during the 911 call and the walk through of getting the girl to safety. Be prepared to feel that adrenaline and tension for longer than your body is normally used to. You may feel just as drained after a call as a 911 operator does...

I really enjoyed the level of detail the film makers put into showing us the world of a 911 operator and what they go through on a day to day basis. It's pretty fascinating. I know I could never do that kind of job. That kind of stress day in and day out has to wear on a person and probably often hardens them.

The ending involves a twist I wasn't expecting, and gains my respect for that, but it was still somewhat disappointing because I wanted it to go further. Those who have seen the movie will know what I mean.

If you found yourself at all interested in the trailer go see this movie! You'll like it!

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Warm Bodies (2013)

Funny and Sweet, like Wall-E mixed with a zombie movie

7 February 2013

And they said you couldn't have a zombie romance story. Take that vampires!

The zombie R was surprisingly strong, but sensitive, sweet, loving, and protective. He wanted to talk to the pretty girl but had trouble finding the words, or at least vocalizing them. His determination and frantic antics were endearing.

Julie was not some wussy victim or brainless babe. It made me happy to see she was tough and could take care of herself. She had a rebellious streak that made her entertaining to watch and a softer affectionate side that showed itself with R.

I can honestly say I liked both characters and wanted to see them succeed.

I particularly enjoyed the scenes where R eats the brains and we saw more of Julie, her old boyfriend, her father, and how they all fit together. It was heart felt and well-done. The relationships and the complexity of them was less evident in the movie than in the book but I could still feel it. If you liked the movie I highly suggest reading the book, by the way.

Warm Bodies was well paced and acted, and one of the better zombie movies I have seen. Watch it, and provided you aren't dead inside, be overcome by it's cuteness!

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The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Quick Comparison of both versions - both excellent in their own right

22 December 2011

Here is a rundown of the differences in the two movies:

-MIKAEL BLOMKVIST-

American - Blomkvist is played as more of a tough guy and not a good guy. His flaws are laid bare and he shows himself to be much more detached than emotional.

Swedish - This is the "good guy" side of Mikael. He is sensitive, caring, and smart. He shows a protective side when it comes to Lisbeth. Physically speaking the Swedish Blomkvist doesn't look as sturdy as his American counterpart. He has a gut and appears to be quite a bit older than Lisbeth which can make the relationship between them more shudder inducing and probably accounts for why there are fewer sex scenes between them in the Swedish version.

-LISBETH SALANDER-

American - Perhaps because Blomkvist was made into such a strong character Lisbeth was then morphed into a more withdrawn and vulnerable girl so as to complement the new Blomkvist. She still has attitude, aggression, and rage but she also exhibits a quiet shy side that was not in the original as well as more of a romantic side.

Swedish - In this version Lisbeth is not shy, not gentle, and not nice. She doesn't chase Blomkvist - he chases her. She perfectly embodies everything you think of when you think of a strong female lead and has an unpredictability and edge to her that is exciting to watch. Her dragon tattoo is much, much better.

-OVERALL-

I liked the American Mikael and the Swedish Lisbeth.

While I may prefer a scene or two from the Swedish version, such as the ending, overall I enjoyed the American version more.

On the flip side, I can understand why some may hate this version because Lisbeth was their favorite character and she's been changed into something they don't like. For me, the modifications to Lisbeth's character weren't severe enough to put me off.

The Swedish version captured a cult following for a reason and I would recommend both to anyone who has an interest in darker gritty movies that have a raw intensity to them. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo isn't for the faint of heart and that's what I love about it!

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Blue Valentine (2010)

A story for the wounded

26 May 2011

Blue Valentine is one of the most depressing and well done films I've ever seen.

It is one that I will recommend that everyone see. Not because I want them to be sad or because I think they could learn anything new but because I think everyone should want to see the best of everything and this film is the best of its genre that I have ever seen. The acting is perfect. The metaphors are delicious and the hidden signs are just waiting to be uncovered.

Another great thing about this movie is that it is interesting to get different perspectives from your friends as to what they think happened in the movie and to whose side they are on. It is unlikely that they will have trouble connecting to or relating to the characters in Blue Valentine no matter if they have ever been married or had kids before.

Don't expect this to be a date movie or a nice happy rom-com. It is pretty much the anti-thesis of a date movie.

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Priest (2011)

Decent action hindered by ridiculous story

24 May 2011

The action was cool but nothing I haven't seen before or seen done better. It wasn't enough to save this movie. If the plot wasn't so offensive and instead gave off a neutral feeling I would consider this an alright movie. However the plot was laughably hokey. Priest is what would happen if you took Blade and Equilibrium and made a shallow copy of the two of them into a movie.

There's no character development whatsoever. What was the bad guy's relationship with the protagonist and his love interest? We don't know anything except that they worked together and we evidently don't care because we'd rather watch throwing stars and knives get tossed around. The story or lack thereof makes it harder to take the movie seriously. Why would the people allow the clergy to control everyone and why would those in power get rid of their only defense against the vampires when their enemy was not yet destroyed? Why does everyone follow one religion and why do they attend confession through what seems as dynamic and satisfying as an iPhone app?

And what's up with the vampires that have no eyes and apparently possess the self control and intellect of a wild dog? That's a vampire? Seriously? Another lame part of a movie filled with lameness.

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The Rite (2011)

Inspired by true events story that is interesting but not exciting

31 January 2011

While I was always waiting to see what happened next and interested in how the good guys would overcome the challenges they faced I felt completely detached from the main character, Michael Kovak. I don't need to like the main character but I still need to connect. Unfortunately, Michael was very emotionally inaccessible and therefore I never really cared for him.

On a positive note, Anthony Hopkins had a very good performance and the little field trips that he took the "doubter" on were some of the best parts of the movie. I loved how Kovak hung on to his doubt even when faced with an example of the possessed knowing the unknowable. The pacing was slow and gradually ratcheted up the tension as it went along. For some this may be boring but I was comfortable with it as it made the events unfolding feel natural instead of forced or rushed.

Overall, it was an alright movie that could have been great but just wasn't.

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Closer (I) (2004)

Dialogue driven film with an award winning cast

23 December 2010

Six years after the movie release of Closer and 850+ reviews to sift though...I don't know how mine will be noticed so this is mostly for my own gratification and to help me remember.

I instantly loved Closer. It's so wonderful to experience a film that goes back to the basics: characters, great writing, focusing on dialogue. It's unusual nowadays. The way the characters all played off each other, the wordplay, and the verbally jousting, it was all exceptionally entertaining. I think we've really lost that in movies. It's very unusual to hear fantastic dialogue and to hear intelligent people interacting. From the witty things they say while seducing each other to the brutally honest things that we all think but don't necessarily say - it's all here. There are so many great lines and so many great scenes. The theme song, The Blower's Daughter, is perfect and represents the movie in a nutshell.

Be warned that this isn't a movie to share with the kids and it isn't for the faint of heart or for those who want a more standard romance to watch. There will be those that will be shocked by or upset by this film and find it offensive or difficult to watch.

Closer is an adaption of a play written by Patrick Marber. Cliven Owen actually performed this play in the original London stage production although at that time he was playing the character of Dan instead of Larry! It's impressive to see how well he was able to totally change his perspective and act so convincingly as Larry. After seeing Closer I really couldn't envision him being anyone else. The great thing about a movie vs. a play is that you don't have to shout your lines and it can feel that much more real and intimate.

While there may only be four characters to work with you get a deep dive into each of them. In my opinion this is all four actor's best work ever.

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Love & Other Drugs (2010)

Expected what I saw in the trailer and got more

9 December 2010

Despite what some may say, Love and Other Drugs wasn't like other romantic comedies I've seen except in the most general of senses, in that it was a romantic comedy. I hadn't seen one set in the environment of pharmaceutical sales or with a main character who had Parkinsons disease, a setting which is very interesting as there are a lot of things wrong with health care and the system today. It gives one something to chew on while watching the rest of the movie.

There's a lot to like about the relationship between Jamie and Maggie. They have a raw intensity and passion for each other that was a bit much for some viewers, but in my opinion it was there to show how connected they were both physically and mentally. I thought their banter and teasing nature was cute. Nobody got wounded or sulked when teased but just laughed and teased back. The initial attraction between them started as an understanding of each other's loneliness and vulnerability that allowed them to feel like someone else finally got them after easily charming others with nothing more than a fascade. Their relationship had passion, love, and a roller-coaster of emotions.

There was a scene midway through the movie where Maggie tells Jamie that even though she may have many other moments like the ones that she shared with him that it will never be as special or mean as much to her and my heart wanted to swell because I knew exactly what she meant and what it is like to love someone that much.

As they grew together, both characters changed and let go of their issues with commitment and love. They tore down the walls they'd built to protect themselves and just let themselves fall. It was beautiful to me and I really enjoyed Love & Other Drugs.

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Synecdoche, New York (2008)

Self indulgent piece made for the satisfaction of the film maker rather than the audience

23 November 2010

INITIAL IMPRESSION:

This is the film that the Charlie Kaufman from Adaptation wanted to write.

In Adaptation he tries to tell his agent, "I don't want to cram in sex or guns or car chases, or characters you know, learning profound life lessons or growing or coming to like each other or overcoming obstacles to succeed in the end. I mean the book isn't like that, and life isn't like that. You know, it just isn't. And I feel very strongly about this." In addition, about 40 minutes into Adaptation, Charlie Kaufman's character describes himself as self-indulgent, narcissistic, solipsistic and pathetic because he's written himself into his screenplay. It seems like Caden is just him again inside his own screenplay but unlike Adaptation this one has no change or drama or story and people do not succeed in the end.

While in Adaptation Charlie Kaufman gave in to McKee and his twin brother Donald, it seems in Synecdoche he's decided to instead make a work of art his way, period. On principle I agree with this decision but feel he took it too far. There's a point at which you can overdo it.

WHY I DIDN'T LIKE IT:

At first, it's easy to get caught up in the puzzles embedded in Synecodche. Why is the house on fire? Who's writing in the girls' diary? What's the deal with the therapist? You might get the impression that beneath these puzzles, Kaufman is hiding some deep truth. Unfortunately, there's nothing there, and the puzzles are simply distractions.

As Kaufman is committed to expressing his own point of view he is therefore unwilling to let the actors express theirs. Like Caden, Kaufman is off in his own head, obsessing over his thoughts without paying attention to the world outside. It seemed like one meaningless scene after meaningless scene. If that was the point then fine, but that is about as entertaining as a movie about the glory of watching paint dry.

WHO MAY ENJOY IT:

There was one theme that stuck out of the whole film that made me feel like this piece was made for the cynics and for those who agree with the sentiments of the main character. Perhaps because I do not fall into that category I did not form a bond with Synecdoche.

Examples of this are when Caden is explaining his vision to the actors and says, "What was once before you - an exciting, mysterious future - is now behind you. Lived; understood; disappointing. You realize you are not special. You have struggled into existence, and are now slipping silently out of it. This is everyone's experience. Every single one. The specifics hardly matter. Everyone's everyone."

The other was said by the wife to Caden, when under her breath she muttered something like, "the more you get to know people the more disappointed you are".

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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

I saw this when it first came out but didn't have an IMDb account at the time

23 November 2010

I've never had a movie break me down and make my heart ache the way this one did when I first watched it (in the theater no less). This could be an unfair comparison though since I had a recent break-up right before watching this movie.

Jim Carrey played Joel as a real person and did so in such a believable way that I immediately became impressed with his range when I had been lukewarm about his other attempts at drama.

I've known couples like Joel and Clementine and at some scenes I've been them. Of my friends who didn't like the movie they were always people with no experience or very little. I think what makes people love this movie is realizing how realistic it is and respecting that.

One of the things that makes Eternal Sunshine stand out is its depth. The movie has little hints for you to find and uncover if you watch it multiple times. If you pay close attention you can see that Joel and Clementine have probably erased each other more than once as have other couples. It makes sense that if your memories are gone but who you are as a person is the same that you'd find the same people attractive and have the same desires and of course the same problems and issues. And so one of the main points of the story is a reminder that, "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it". Therefore, the only way to grow as a person and progress is to keep your memories, no matter how much it hurts. It is part of growing and moving on. It is part of progress.

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Morning Glory (2010)

I didn't expect much from this movie but came away quite happy

15 November 2010

Rachel McAdams is what makes this movie so likable and cute. Her spunky optimism and always-on attitude is what drives the movie forward and gives it heart.

This is one of Harrison Ford's funniest roles - he plays the grumpy, I'm too good for this, I will do what I want and you'll just have to deal with it, asshole extremely well.

The witty banter back and forth between Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford is at times laugh out loud hilarious. I loved their chemistry and the weatherman's antics were the beginning of when my ratings for the movie started to go up. Once it all got going I thought to myself, "I'd watch that morning show!"

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Vanilla Sky (2001)

What is happiness to you?

11 November 2010

Vanilla Sky's trailer tells us that the movie is full of hot people in a tangled romance and that the movie is fairly fluffy and normal and something you've probably already seen a million times before and that couldn't be further from the truth.

It is a haunting, dark, psychological movie that dives into David's subconscious and examines his innermost desires and fears. "What is happiness to you?" is a line that is used multiple times in this movie. I really connected with the main character as he faced his demons and tried with all his heart to find happiness. Vanilla Sky is a love story but it is also a story of maturing and finding yourself.

The best friend of the hot guy who steals all the girls from him is played perfectly by Jason Lee. You can sense the admiration and resentment of David Ames all mixed in together. I've never thought much of Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz or Penelope Cruz till I saw them in this. I figured Tom could only do action and that Diaz could only do comedy before I ran into Vanilla Sky.

There's a scene where Cameron Diaz says, "I swallowed your cum - that means something!" and the whole theater was in shock. We couldn't believe what we were hearing. The director mentions that his intention in that scene was to let us feel as though we were hearing a conversation and listening in on something that is normally private and that's exactly how I felt throughout a lot of the movie.

What is happiness to you? It's a personal question that everyone should find out for themselves.

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Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)

Will you like it? The answer is, "it depends".

25 October 2010

Warning: Spoilers

When looking through reviews on this site I've noticed that it seems most people who weren't impressed with the first one like the second one more and those who absolutely loved the first movie were somewhat disappointed with the second.

I think this is because the first one had more build-up and a slower pace that gradually came to it's climax. The second one instead went from harmless innocent events and not much happening to BOOM - death! So I think it has to do with the person's patience and preferences as to which style they prefer. Personally, I prefer PA1's style and think it allows the dread to intensify as it grows and grows with each scene.

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Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

A morality tale with plenty of action

19 October 2009

This is a movie that's extremely fun to watch in the theaters because you get to hear and see everyone's reaction to each of his killings. The best one had people actually saying loudly "wow" and "oh my god!".

What drew me to the movie was the fact that the hero wasn't going around killing people with his bare hands or face to face. He was doing it with his mind, with careful planning, and deft precision. That was something refreshing to see. I can totally relate to his feelings of anger over the flaws in the justice system and his desire to take matters into his own hands - to make things right.

The ending was disappointing but the rest of the film was not and I liked it overall.

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District 9 (2009)

This movie is often misunderstood

19 September 2009

Warning: Spoilers

District 9 is an action packed science fiction film that deals with morality and ethics.

After watching it a second time I realized that what the human news reporters thought was a "control module" that dropped off the mother ship was really Christopher's ship! It pulled on my heart strings when watching the father & son bond and made me wish I had a kid of my own.

The social commentary was sharp and did not pull any punches, which is probably why it hurt a few people's feelings and ruffled some feathers. Not everyone will like or identify with the main character and if this is a sticking point for you then you may dislike the film because he's not a terribly likable guy.

In regards to the negative comments:

#1. Some wonder why the aliens would allow the humans to boss them around even when they were stronger and had such great technology and weapons. It was mentioned in the movie that the aliens were very docile and easy to command. This is probably because they were "workers" and more akin to insects such as ants and bees than mammals.

It is normal for us to think that aliens would think like us, but this is assuming far too much.

#2. District 9 takes the struggle of the blacks in Africa during the apartheid and turns it on it's head - making the blacks the ones who were being racist and cruel. This has angered some blacks who think that movie makes them look bad, but hey anyone can discriminate against other humans (or species). The main character's name is a very common one among the white oppressors and the Prawn's language has a lot of clicking sounds, much like the Bantu tribes that were victims of the apartheid. There really were signs many years ago saying that blacks were not allowed. This wasn't a clumsy half-hearted attempt at a historical connection as some have asserted.

#3. Some think that the movie makes humans look bad or that the way they behaved was unrealistic. Humans have the capacity to be bad though! If aliens landed on earth and needed our assistance and the whole world was watching, yes we would help them. You know no country would allow themselves to be publicly shown to be heartless. No they would not blow up the ship or attack it, especially without provocation. Once they were on the ground yes, we would quarantine them so that they were separate from the human population. That's only smart and a good safety precaution. Yes, we would monitor them militarily, especially upon first contact as oral communication would be difficult or impossible thus leaving force as the only universal language available. Of course we would build them shanties and not mansions. Is it likely that any humans who lived near the aliens would feel about as comfortable as they would living next to a maximum security prison? Absolutely. Would companies that dealt with weapons be interested in the aliens, sure. Would such companies have the money to push law makers around and put themselves into a favorable position to gather technology? Probably. This isn't a plot hole as previous commenters have suggested. The movie is quite logical and realistic in it's depiction of how humans would react if aliens like the Prawns were found hungry, dying, and in bad shape.

District 9 has an important message - do not judge a book by its cover. Something we all should remember but too often forget.

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The Reaping (2007)

Interesting scientific theories presented

10 April 2007

I thought the scientific explanations for all 10 plagues made by the main character were interesting and things I had never heard of before. They all sound very plausible and I would suggest everyone watch this just to hear those.

The Reaping was scary, in a way. What I mean by that is that it seemed like the main character was in danger at all times and all alone. Movies like that are good at creating tension. The people in the town really gave off that small town vibe in a creepy-nobody-will-know-what-we-did-to-you sort of way.

While The Reaping is not going to be the best movie you've ever seen, it will also not be the worst. It's alright.

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Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Not just a movie about drugs

28 February 2007

Warning: Spoilers

To just call it a drug movie is totally missing the point of the movie, in my opinion. A requiem is a song that is played in mourning for the dead. Therefore the title literally means a song mourning the death of a dream. Listen to the soundtrack and you will hear what I'm talking about.

I always thought it was interesting that Jennifer Connelly's character Marion Silver and Marlon Wayans' character Tyrone C Love are very much like opposites of each other. Marion comes from a rich family who gave her money but not love, while Ty is from a poor family that gave him love but had no money. Marion is very fragile because no one ever cared for her and she lacks the self confidence necessary to succeed. Inversely, Ty's mother didn't care if he was rich or successful but he always felt that it was the only way he'd be worthy of her love.

They're all chasing a dream, and they all want someone to love them, but it's strange because they already have that. They just can't see it.

This movie is one of my all time favorites and one of the most emotional experiences I've ever had while watching a film. 10/10 stars.

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